Damned Desire
by MWolfe13
Summary: She'd thought she'd faced the hardest trials of her life, but dying would have been easier. It would have been easier than knowing she was responsible for her broken family. It would have been easier than facing the repercussions of a war that wouldn't end. It definitely would have been easier than trying not to fall in love with her cousin's love.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my next Crossover story! This started off as a roll to cure my writer's block, and it continues to be so. It will probably be my one cliché Twilight story. I hope you guys enjoy!**

**Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

**Happy New Year!  
**

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**Chapter 1**

Hermione put her head in her hands, trying to block the words of the letters on her desk.

The first one was a letter from her Auror counterpart in Australia. Relations with other countries had been strained after the war, the Voldemort ruled Ministry doing a lot of damage with their demands that other countries submit to Lord Voldemort. Therefore, when Hermione had wanted to go to Australia to find her parents Kingsley had informed her that even British Auror's were banned from entering the country until relations were less tense.

Hermione had raged but didn't fight them. Kingsley had taken up the task of repairing relations with Australia as one of his first foreign tasks as Minister. He'd done it for her, and so she'd given him time. She'd beat up her partner multiple times in the dueling room to retain her patience, and had thrown herself into the task of capturing all the remaining Death Eaters to keep herself occupied.

Only to find out her attempt at keeping her parents safe had failed.

The Australian Minister of Magic had looked into the matter personally as a display of his gratitude for her part in the war. As soon as the borders between Britain and Australia had opened, the letter had come through.

Her parents had been killed a mere two months after sending them away. The autopsy revealed that they'd been tortured with the Cruciatus Curse several times, more than likely being interrogated for her whereabouts, before being killed by a dark curse that was particularly favored by Antonin Dolohov. Hermione absentmindedly touched the area that had been struck by Dolohov back in her fifth year.

It seemed fate had deemed her parents fall to the same curses Hermione had survived.

That had been a week ago.

Her parent's bodies had arrived, preserved by the Australian's in case someone were to claim them. Hermione had planned on having a small funeral for them. Just her and the boys, maybe Molly and Arthur. She hadn't wanted to make a big fuss, preferring to grieve privately. That had been before the other letter came in.

She remembered her Uncle Charlie very well. She remembered he liked to relax after a long day at work, drinking beer and watching whatever game was on the telly. She remembered thinking his job was cool, being able to catch bad guys and keep the people of Forks safe. She remembered visiting every summer until her mom and he had their falling out. She remembered her little cousin who used to ask her a million questions and was always tripping over air.

Apparently, sometime while she'd been at Hogwarts, her mother and Uncle Charlie had been mending the rift between them. They'd been speaking on the phone, and sending pictures of Hermione and Bella back and forth. Her Uncle Charlie was a policeman to the bone. When her mother had missed their weekly phone call he'd dismissed it with thoughts of busy schedules. By the third missed call, Chief Swan had come out and had started sending letters to his own counterpart in their city.

The liaison for the Muggle government had delivered all the letters to her this morning. Her uncle had been persistent. Every week a new letter would be sent, asking for information on his missing sister and her family. They'd been flagged immediately, because of the connection to her. Hermione was grateful that the then corrupt Ministry had taken little interest in her extended family.

This now left her with a dilemma. How was she to tell her uncle that his older sister had been murdered? In all honesty, Hermione had forgotten about her uncle and cousin in Washington with all the madness that was the war. The last she'd heard, Bella was living with her mother in another state. She couldn't leave them with no answers. Eventually, they would come to her once they realized she was not missing.

The door to her shared office opened, revealing Draco Malfoy. Hermione sometimes wondered if the head of the Auror department had been trying to punish her by making the ferret her partner, or had seen the potential laying under the sarcasm and insults. She'd vehemently opposed being his partner at first. She'd wanted Harry, but that would have left Draco partnered up with Ron.

Talk about a disaster waiting to happen.

The first couple of months had been rough, she'd hexed him at least once a day for the first few months, but after having each other's backs in a Death Eater raid they'd begun to grow closer. Now, she was considered a part of the Malfoy family. Narcissa treated her like the daughter she'd never had, and while Lucius never showed open affection for her, she knew he silenced anyone who opposed her activism in the betterment of creature rights.

She was even friends with his soon to be bride, Astoria Greengrass. That had been a shock. The papers regularly speculated the relationship between her and Draco was more than just partners. Anyone who spent any time at all with Astoria and Draco together knew how unlikely that was. The sun rose and fell with Astoria according to Draco. She remembered the progression of his feelings for the younger witch. The first had been loathing at being forced into an arranged marriage and then had come acceptance after weeks of pouting. Not long after that, they'd struck up a friendship and had quickly fallen in love. It had all been very amusing for Hermione, even as her heart was happy that Draco had found happiness.

Now, as her partner, Draco took one look at her and crossed the room to put a comforting hand on her back.

"Funeral arrangements?" Draco asked.

Hermione shook her head. "Worse. My Uncle has been trying to get the muggle police to investigate my parent's disappearance."

Draco winced, rubbing at a tense spot on her shoulder. "I see. Were they close, your parents and your Uncle?"

Hermione sighed, "Not that I knew. I mean, they were when I was smaller but they had a falling out. He's my mother's younger brother. Apparently, they reconciled while we were at school. He's with the American police. If I don't come up with a plausible explanation as to why he's barely learning of my parent's deaths and why I've been unreachable, he'll dig until he uncovers everything. He's like a dog with a bone."

"Definitely your uncle then," Draco muttered.

Hermione shot him a glare, but it didn't last as tears welled up and spilled over. "I don't know what to do, Draco."

"Merlin, Granger, don't cry." Draco looked around, hoping he could spot Potter from their open door. A crying Hermione Granger, a crying female in general, always made him want to run for the hills. "The Minister will let you tell him the truth. He's your closest family. There will be no need to lie."

This did nothing to reassure her. It only made me cry harder, covering her face so that her words were muffled by her hands. "How am I supposed to tell him I erased his sister's memory and sent them off to a different country? How can I look him in the eye and tell him I failed in protecting my own parents?"

Heaving a resigned sigh because Potter was never around when he was truly needed, Draco knelt down to Hermione's height and brought her hands away from her face. "Don't do that to yourself. Your parents would have never left without you, and it was only bad luck that Dolohov took a half-blood with him and recognized the forwarding address they left. They loved you. Even if they had remembered, they would have never given you up." Draco didn't tell her that the memory charm had likely broken under the torture. She was too smart not to have realized it, and if she hadn't, he wasn't going to be the bastard that informed her.

Hermione nodded, her sobs dying down to sniffles. He handed her his handkerchief so that she could compose herself, and went to his desk to send a note to the Minister. She couldn't put this off, not if her Uncle was as much like her as she claimed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome to the next chapter of Damned Desire! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and this story to their reading lists!**

**Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

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**Chapter 2**

Hermione apparated to the alley next to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Kingsley had given her immediate emergency family leave, practically forcing her to bring her parents to her remaining family and take some time to reconnect with her uncle and cousin. Of course, it hadn't been as easy as internationally apparating. She'd had to go through the American ministry, fill out various forms with the ICW for an International Apparition License, make sure she could even apparate so far without splinching herself, and then agree to be used as a consultant for the American Auror's should the need arise before she'd been allowed to come.

So a month after she'd received her uncle's letters, Hermione was waiting at the closest airport with her luggage. Her parent's bodies were on their way, the American ministry choosing to use Muggle methods of transportation to avoid suspicion from other Muggle's aside from her family. She'd called her Uncle Charlie personally, giving him the news of their deceased status and arranging to visit him. His total calm during their conversation told Hermione how much of a policeman he was, and that he'd already known deep down that something was wrong.

She was nervous. The last time she'd seen him, she was still the bookworm who freaky things happened around and peppered her Uncle with questions on law enforcement when they visited. Now she was a grown woman, a witch who explained the weird with textbook references. She was still a bookworm and had become one of the best Auror's the British Ministry had to offer. Her teeth were smaller, her hair was less bushy, and she was sure her Uncle would not recognize her.

It seemed her worry was for naught as a beat-up police cruiser pulled up the curb she'd been waiting at. A tall older man with brown, slightly curly hair got out of the driver's side, walking around the front of the car until he was pulling Hermione into a hug. He breathed deeply, hugging her tighter as she wrapped her arms around him. "Little Hermione, you look exactly like my mother. Even the hair's the same."

The familiar smell of gunpowder, fish, and woods calmed Hermione. "Uncle Charlie," she murmured, sighing at the familiarity she had forgotten.

He pulled back, taking her in. She knew what he would see. A woman of average height dressed casually in jeans, black knee-high boots, a red T-shirt with a symbol for a school he wouldn't recognize, and a black leather jacket. An unmistakable bulge that was her wand disguised as a gun, and her badge clipped to her jeans, completed the look. She knew he would be finding out the truth as soon as possible, but Harry had convinced her to keep up with ruse for her protection. No one was going to bother her if they thought she had a gun.

He grinned. "Who knew the tiny girl who couldn't stop asking me questions would one day become a cop? I swear your parents were sure you'd grow up to be a doctor or lawyer, though their secret hope was you becoming a dentist like them." The two frowned at the mention of Hermione's parents, both looking down to avoid looking at the other. Charlie sighed, "Come on, I've got Bella cooking dinner tonight. She'll be excited to see you."

Charlie didn't ask any questions Hermione knew he was dying to during the ride. He asked about her studies, how she liked working for the police, what her partner was like. But never about his sister and brother-in-law. Hermione was grateful, not sure she could handle that line of questioning just yet. She'd been given leave to tell both her remaining relatives, and Hermione wasn't keen on explaining herself twice. Part of her wanted to turn right back around and go back to Britain, but she could all but hear Draco call her out for being a coward.

If there was anything she hated, it was being called a bloody coward by Draco Malfoy.

The town of Forks was surrounded by trees and had the familiarity of being a close-knit community. She remembered her summer's here running around with Bella and a couple of boys from the Indian reservation located here. She'd never been teased here, not like the bullies from her primary school. Perhaps that was why her parents brought her down even when they had problems with her uncle. She'd always anticipated coming, and she felt a little guilty at how quickly she'd forgotten about this part of her roots when she'd started Hogwarts. Merlin, she'd even promised to write Bella, and that had never happened.

Maybe this break was exactly what she needed.

They pulled up to a two-story house, a rusted truck the only other car in the driveway. Charlie heaved a sigh of relief, as if he'd been expecting something else. "Something wrong?" She asked.

Charlie rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. "Bella's in the middle of a relationship issue. Her boyfriend asked her to marry him, and she said no. Some days they can't stand to be near each other, and others, they can't be separated. I told her I didn't want Edward here when you came, just wanted it to be family for now, but I was half afraid she wouldn't listen."

Hermione filed it away in her mind, wondering if she would be subject to listening to any fights between Bella and her boyfriend. "Well, it looks like she took your words to heart. Shall we?"

They walked into the house, Charlie carrying Hermione's luggage at his insistence. The smell of pasta wafted from the kitchen. She didn't have time to take in her surroundings before a blur knocked into her. Bella was slightly taller than Hermione; her hair had the slightest wave now than the straight pin locks she was used to. When she looked up and straightened, Hermione saw the same eyes she saw in the mirror, a Swan trait apparently as they had been her mother's eyes as well.

She smiled at her cousin. "Bella, it's good to see you."

Bella grinned back, her eyes anxiously taking Hermione in. "I've missed you. When dad said you were coming down, I couldn't believe it." Her eyes filled, but the tears didn't spill over. "I'm sorry about Aunt Helen and Uncle Richard."

Hermione bit her lip hard, using the pain to keep herself centered. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

Charlie came back from the second floor, where he had been setting her luggage in her room. "Room's been made up for you. Only one bathroom, so you'll have to share with Bells and me." He sniffed the air. "Dinner smells great." He turned towards the kitchen. "I need a beer. You want one, Hermione? I won't tell the police if you don't."

The girls rolled their eyes in unison and followed Charlie into the kitchen. Hermione declined the offer for a beer, settling on water. Even though she liked Butterbeer just fine, she had never acquired the taste for regular beer. Maybe because she was accustomed to the sweet taste of the former? Bella had cooked an Italian pasta dish she said had been introduced to her by her boyfriend's mother. It was good, Hermione using the food as an excuse not to start the conversation she knew they needed to have.

Bella was surprised to learn she had followed her Uncle into police work though Hermione didn't correct her assumption that it had been Charlie who inspired her career choice. Hermione talked about some of her more ridiculous cases that had cropped up in between the more serious ones, making them laugh with tales of drunken singers and disruptive teenagers. Charlie reminded her that Hermione was still really just a teenager herself, and Hermione sniffed while informing him that she had never been that immature.

Bringing up her age caused Bella to ask how Hermione could even be a police officer. Her excuse of an accelerated training program while still at school sent red flags up Charlie's brain, and Hermione knew the inquisition would soon begin. Before he could open his mouth, Hermione held up a hand. "I promise I will tell you everything, but we should clean up first. How does tea sound?"

Charlie frowned. "My sister and brother-in-law are dead. You disappeared off the face of the earth and come back with your light a little darker. Don't think I didn't notice. I don't want tea."

She clenched her hands in her lap, fighting the urge to look down. "Please, Uncle Charlie? This is hard enough."

Charlie studied her, looking for something in her eyes before he nodded. "Fine, we'll do this your way."


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome to Chapter 3! Thank you for the reviews! They feed my muse.  
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**I forgot to clarify a few things about timelines, forgetful me! First, this story starts in a weird place in Eclipse. As in, they have graduated high school and Edward has proposed to her, but the Vampire army events are barely starting. I can't exactly remember where everything fits in the book, so it's being done this way. Totally fine as I tend to throw Canon out the window when I feel like it! **

**With that, Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

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Well, things could have gone worse.

Hermione firmly believed that as she looked up at the ceiling from the twin bed she was laying on. She had approached her Uncle and cousin with the events of her life like she would have if she were writing a book; from the beginning. She had informed them about finding out she was a witch, demonstrating with her wand when they didn't believe. If she weren't feeling so down, she would laugh at the panic that had lit her Uncle's eyes when she'd drawn her 'gun.' Dropping its glamour and waving it around to perform simple spells she could have done wandlessly had reminded her a bit of Professor McGonagall's visit to her parents that summer before her first year.

She'd skimmed over many of the details of her adventure's with the boys, simply telling them that a civil war had been brewing and she had been caught right in the thick of it. She talked about needing to go on the run, about how she'd tried to protect her parents by erasing their memories and sending them to a different country. She told them how they had been found anyway, and died because Hermione was their daughter. She was glad her Uncle didn't ask how, though she knew it would come. He'd just been too shocked to ask then. She explained that her side had won, and as soon as she could, she had tracked them down to reverse what she'd done. She ended with receiving Charlie's letters, and the decision to come down herself to inform them and reconnect.

It was a very watered-down version of her life, but she wasn't sure her family could take the full account. Charlie had said nothing, staring at the wall for a long while before getting up and going to his room. Bella had reassured her that they'd be fine, it was just a lot to process before giving her a hug and heading up herself.

So really, it could have been worse. At least they weren't throwing her out and condemning her to hell for being who she was.

Bella had taken things a little too well in Hermione's opinion. After the initial show of magic, there had been no disbelief or questions of how. If she didn't know better, Hermione would assume Bella had been exposed to the magical world already. But as far as she knew, she was the only witch in the family.

Of course, there was that faint outline of a scar that Hermione had seen when Bella had reached out to hug her. The girl had been wearing long sleeves, so Hermione hadn't noticed it before. The indent of teeth could have been a coincidence, but the phrase 'constant vigilance' never left Hermione's mind. She'd seen marks like that before, normally with the person being dead.

Just when had her cousin come into contact with a vampire?

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Edward sighed, his expression forlorn as he watched Emmett and Rosalie play a video game. Bella's rejection was still on his mind, unable to be put aside when he had nothing else to occupy his mind. _We're too young, Edward. I promised I wouldn't get married as a teenager._

But she wasn't too young to be turned into a vampire, and damn her soul?

He'd hoped proposing marriage, giving her suitable college options that meant he could go with her, would put off her desire to be like him. He'd wanted to give her time to make sure this was what she really wanted. It had backfired, the marriage proposal spooking her into reevaluating their relationship. Never before had he wished he could read what was going through her mind. Pushing hadn't helped, their wants clashing and devolving simple talks into stubborn arguments. It was nerve-wracking how much he miscalculated when it came to Bella. Sometimes he wondered if this was the Universes' way of telling him they shouldn't stay together.

His phone dinged, only one person assigned to that particular tone.

_B: My cousin is here._

Edward gave a quick glimpse at the time, noting the lateness.

_E: I figured, or did she get in late?_

_B: No, she arrived on time. She liked the recipe Esme suggested. We had a family meeting… it was a lot._

Edward frowned as he remembered the reason for Bella's cousin coming down in the first place. Her aunt and uncle had died. He didn't know the circumstances, neither had Bella or Charlie.

_E: Do you want me to come over?_

_B: No. There are now two cops sleeping within hearing distance of my room. No need to have an incident._

_E: Are you sure? You know I won't make a sound._

_B: I'm sure. I'm going to bed. Night._

Edward sent her his reply before scowling at her message. She hadn't ever been worried about Charlie hearing him. Now her cousin was here, and that changed? It was true that he didn't make a sound. Even if this cousin was part of the police, he doubted she would be able to hear the faintest sounds he made when moving.

Alice came into the room, moving to sit next to him. "Something troubling you?"

Edward handed her his phone, letting her read the exchange. "I think I'm losing her, Alice. Have you seen anything?"

Alice shrugged. "Bella's cousin is definitely a cop. I had a vision of Charlie picking her up from the airport, she was wearing a gun and a badge." Edward saw the vision in his mind. A young curly-haired brunette was hugging Charlie. She looked familiar to a young woman in a picture Charlie had from his teenage years. The vision went fuzzy before cutting out completely.

Edward looked at her in shock. "What was that?"

Alice sighed, an irritated look on her face. "I don't completely know. I was able to see her clearly at first, and then that happened. I tried specifically looking for her, but nothing happened." She bit her lip and looked down at Edward. "What's worse, Bella and Charlie are gone too. Normally, with the wolves, they'd be shut off from me completely. This… I don't know what this is."

Rosalie and Emmett, who had been trying to give their siblings a semblance of privacy, abandoned their game. Rosalie asked, "Are you saying Bella's cousin isn't human? Wouldn't she have told us?"

Alice pursed her lips. "I don't think it's that. If she wasn't human, I wouldn't be able to see her period. It's like the wolves. Edward's admitted that Charlie can be hard to read. Maybe this is the same case?"

Emmett scoffed, "That's quite a coincidence, don't you think? Three talents in one human family?"

Carlisle came into the room with Esme, evidently having heard the conversation as well. "This must be kept from the Volturi. They are already interested in Bella. They dismissed your reaction to Charlie because his mind was able to be read in the end, but they won't leave the cousin alone if they find out Alice can't see her correctly." He looked at his daughter. "Aro wants you more than anything else but knows you'll never willingly leave our family. If he thinks he can change someone who will prevent you from seeing their moves, he'll be down here with a false charge in a heartbeat."


	4. Chapter 4

**Yo! Welcome to Chapter 4 of Damned Desire. Due to suddenly less hectic schedule (except for trying to keep a locked up kid from mutiny), I can work on FanFiction a whole lot more for the time being. I've also thrown the posting days out the window. I'm just posting what I have completed for everything I have going on, so this story is about to be updated another 3 times tonight.**

**Let me know what you think in the reviews! Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 4**

Hermione was surprised when Bella woke her up, noticing the sky was gray outside her window. She had been sure she wouldn't be able to sleep yet because of the time adjustment, but after crying to Harry through the pair of communication mirrors he'd retrieved from his vault, she'd fallen into a deep sleep.

Bella gave her a nervous smile. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading to my boyfriends for a bit."

Hermione nodded, running her fingers through her hair and grimacing when one hit a tangle. "Do you want some company on the way over? I need to get my run in, but a walk can be a good substitute."

Bella frantically shook her head, waving Hermione off before the woman could get up. "That's alright! We've been fighting a lot lately, and well, I want to use the drive to collect my thoughts."

Hermione heard the hesitation in her voice; the rushed words. Her cousin was lying, but Hermione wasn't going to call her out on it. She'd known that revealing her secret would take some time to get used to. It hurt that her only remaining family wasn't as accepting as her parents had been, but she wasn't going to make them feel bad by letting them know how their reactions hurt her. She forced a smile to her face. "Alright, well, have fun then. I hope you two work things out soon."

She let the smile fall when Bella left, deciding she would go on her run anyways. Uncle Charlie had left for the station already. She was sure, and even if he hadn't, Hermione wasn't sure she was up for the confrontation that was coming sooner or later.

Maybe she should check into a hotel until they'd had time to process things.

She headed for the woods immediately, going off the formed paths in favor of more uneven ground. Part of her training as an Auror had been navigating quickly through areas such as this. Ron liked to joke that the three of them were experts at this type of terrain. It wasn't exactly a lie. They had spent a good deal of time running for their lives and tripping over branches and rocks back home.

She wanted to laugh as she recalled how Draco had tripped five minutes into their lesson, taking her down with him. They'd both ended up with sprained ankles, and had spent the entire time at St. Mungo's flinging barbs at each other until the Healer in charge of their case practically forced them through the floo back to the Ministry. They'd landed on each other again from the treatment, the resulting photo from a passing pedestrian making the front page. They could laugh about the incident now, though she was sure he'd given serious thought to killing her to end the misery that plagued their partnership.

Her magic flared in alarm, Hermione whipping her wand out and taking cover behind a tree. She scanned her surroundings, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. She didn't let down her guard, knowing her magic wouldn't have reacted for nothing.

Just as she was about to ease out around the tree to cast a revealing spell, a gush of wind pushed her back. A faint hint of perfume accompanied it, the scent sweet and heavy.

Hermione rushed out, keeping her wand ready as she looked around her. Whatever had rushed past her was gone now. She waved her wand in silent command, watching as blue light shot into the ground.

Nothing happened.

She frowned at her wand and then at the dirt beneath her. Well, that couldn't be right. The spell she'd used was meant to show the footsteps of whoever had walked by. As Hermione had been coming from the opposite direction, there should have been one pair that would show Hermione the path her unknown attacker had taken.

Yet, there wasn't a single imprint.

Turning the way she'd come, Hermione waved her wand again. This time, bright blue steps glowed against the greens and browns of the forest. They were in the shape of her trainers. Her spell was working, though there should have been a second set of prints. She looked up at trees in contemplation, thinking that maybe the person had been using the trees to travel. It wasn't impossible, but it required better acrobatic skills than most wizards possessed. She supposed the wind that had assaulted her _could_ have come from above.

Twigs crunched, throaty snarls ripping through the sudden quiet of the woods.

Hermione didn't have a chance to put up a shield, her body hitting the ground with a hard thud. Her head hit a raised tree root, the pain blinding her briefly. When she came to, there was a massive brown wolf standing over her. Its head was lowered, mouth curled into a snarl. The wolf's eyes were hostile, watching her with suspicion. She could feel a form of magic inside of him. This was no ordinary wolf.

Before the wolf could lower his head, Hermione's palm connected with his chest. She sent out wandless magic, flinging him away from her. He landed against a tree, a pained yelp leaving him from the impact. She grabbed her wand, jumping to her feet. Two more wolves, both just as big as the first one, jumped out of their places from the trees. She had sensed them when they'd stopped to watch, knew they were coming. She fired off a stunner at one, a Knockback jinx at another. Both dodged, each going in the opposite direction and then coming in to fence her between them. The first wolf hobbled toward her, his limp easing as he got closer.

Hermione could hear more growls and branches breaking. There were more of them, and they were getting closer.

Deciding retreat was the best option for now, she said, "As much fun as this is, I think I'll be going now."

She apparated away just as a russet-colored wolf jumped into the area.

She landed in Bella's room with a large crack. She pouted at the sound. That had been too sloppy for her training to allow, but those wolves had caught her off guard. MACUSA had _not _warned her about other supernaturals in the area. First, her cousin had somehow interacted with a vampire, and now there were magical beasts in the woods? Forks was not the sleepy town that she remembered.

In her grumbling, she hadn't realized someone else was in the room until her magic, which had been reacting inside her, finally got through. She looked up in alarm, thinking maybe she had accidentally apparated one of the wolves with her.

Standing frozen with his hand in her cousin's dresser was a man with very pale skin and bright red eyes. His eyes were wide as he stood there, one hand clutching a shirt and the other gripping the drawer. She heard a crack from the wood and realized she must have surprised him as he had her. He was dressed like any normal man, blond hair styled messy like a teenager. She lowered her eyes to her cousin's shirt, and then back to his.

If this was the vampire her cousin was associated with, Hermione doubted he'd be frozen at being caught in her room. She leveled her wand at him. "And just what do you think you're doing with that shirt?" He curled his mouth in a silent growl, pointed canines on full display. She gave him an unimpressed look. "Those don't scare me, Vampire. You have five seconds to tell me how you know Bella before I light you on fire."

The front door opened and slammed, distracting Hermione as she looked away briefly. When she looked back, the man was gone. The dresser drawer was open, Bella's shirt gone and finger-sized indents in the wood.

Hermione sighed in aggravation. Her instincts were telling her that the Vampire had _not _been a friend of her cousins.

Making her way down the stairs, she glamoured her wand to once more resemble a gun and placed it in its holster. She peeked into the kitchen, watching Charlie as he fixed himself a sandwich. She debated going in to speak with him, but looking at his eyes, she realized he wasn't there at the moment. He was moving just fine, but his eyes were unfocused, slightly red.

She decided to track down her cousin instead. Hermione couldn't do anything for how her Uncle was feeling, but she could find out what her cousin was mixed up in.

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**AN: Guys, the world is pretty crap right now and I hope y'all are doing okay! Especially to those of you in countries in complete lockdown. I'm available to talk if anyone needs it, or is tired of the same few people living with them. **

**For those of you who follow me for my writing, and not just this story, I have a profile on AO3 with a crap ton of more stories, because all my FanFic Groups require I pose there first for comps and fests. I'm still under MWolfe13**

**I also have a Tumblr and Twitter under the same name. I'd definitely react to messages more there than on here because I'm not always on my computer. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Edward looked up from where he was laying down with Bella on the couch, Alice coming to the bottom of the stairs with Jasper right behind her. He asked, "What do they want?"

Alice shook her head. "You know they aren't clear to me. You'll know better than I will."

Bella glanced between them. "Is it the wolves?" She brightened. "Maybe Jacob's with them."

Edward reluctantly stood with her, following her to the front where the rest of his family was already waiting. He knew Bella only held feelings of friendship towards the Quileute, but he knew for a fact that Jacob Black felt more for her. Still, they were good friends and Edward couldn't hinder that, as much as he wanted to.

Jacob was indeed among them along with the pack's Alpha, Sam Uley. Two others he recognized as Paul and Jared were hanging a bit back, Paul's hand pressed against his side. He quickly scanned their minds, getting flashes of a fight. "There's been an incident," he murmured to his family.

Carlisle stepped forward, smiling with welcome. "What can we do for you? I hope everything's alright."

Sam spoke, "Earlier, we encountered a redheaded Vampire near our border. We were chasing her down when another… person got in the way and attacked Paul. She disappeared before we could capture her."

Edward only knew one Vampire with red hair. "It must be Victoria."

Sam nodded. "So you guys do know who she is. Do you have any idea who her partner might be? The woman was weird. I didn't smell Vampire, but she definitely wasn't human."

Edward looked at four different points of view, eyes widening at the familiar figure. He looked at Alice. "It was Bella's cousin."

"Hermione attacked the wolves?" Bella asked in shock.

Jake was shocked in return. "Hermione? As in _Hermione Granger_ from Britain?"

Sam crossed his arms to stare at Jake. "You know her?"

Jake scratched the back of his head. "We all do. She's Bella's older cousin that used to play with us during the summer. Remember? She was always asking questions about the tribe." He looked at Bella. "She stopped coming around more than five years ago, right?"

Bella nodded. "Her mom and my dad had a falling out." She hugged herself, moving to sit on the steps. "I can't believe she attacked Paul."

Paul strode forward with Jared, ignoring the warning growls from the Vampires as he marched up to Bella. "You don't sound surprised that she _could _have attacked me."

Bella quickly stood, letting Edward step in front of her. Edward said, "Back off, Lahote. Bella doesn't know anything."

She bit her lip, looking away from the group. Jasper caught on to her distress, sending waves of calm her way. He asked, "Bella? Do you know something?"

Everyone looked at her. She started picking at her nails, a nervous habit of hers. "It's not my secret to tell."

"Are you a part of this family or not?" Rosalie growled out.

Bella glared at her. "She's my family too."

"Bells," Jake quietly pleaded. "She attacked our pack."

She opened her mouth to reply, but cut herself off when she saw a figure in the distance. Her cousin was looking down at her wand, walking in their direction. The wand in question was floating in front of her without assistance.

Bella slapped the palm of her hand on her face. So much for that.

* * *

Hermione wanted to whine when her magic rose up again. This whole ordeal was starting to exhaust her. All she'd wanted was to run in peace, possibly clear her mind. Now she'd run into magic wolves and Vampires, both of whom had been openly hostile with her. She hadn't eaten much beyond a quick apple, and her magic constantly warning her of danger was starting to take its toll on her mental limit for the day.

Honestly, she had half a mind to just report the incidents to MACUSA and be done with it.

It was what she _should _do, but her cousin was involved somehow and Hermione wasn't willing to throw her under the bus like that.

She looked up to find her cousin surrounded by pale-skinned Vampires with golden eyes and a group of darker men who felt familiar. She held her wand loosely seeing as her cousin didn't seem terrified or in distress. In fact, she was looking at Hermione with exasperation. It reminded her of her former aunt.

Bella wasted no time in ducking under her Vampire guard who was doing his best to stare a hole into her. She faintly felt someone nudging at her mental shield, but the attempt wasn't enough to cause her to worry. She was ready when Bella jumped into her arms. "So some stuff happened, and I figured I'd best come find you."

Bella pulled back, looking at her with a frown. "Did you really attack the wolves?"

Hermione scoffed, sending the now identified men a small glare. "They attacked first. I don't fancy having a snarling mouth trying to chomp down on me. Like that doesn't bring back memories."

"Bella," the Vampire who had been in front of her called out to her. "Perhaps we should all go inside."

Bella nodded at him and hooked her arm through Hermione's. Hermione didn't budge from her spot, looking at her cousin in disbelief. "And just how long have you been chummy with Vampires? Was it one of them that took a bite of you?"

They stiffened at the accusation. Bella let her forehead fall onto Hermione's shoulder. "No! I mean- Look, I'll explain once we go inside. I promise they aren't evil."

An older Vampire walked towards them. He smiled at Hermione, making sure to keep his canines out of sight. "I give you my word we mean you no harm. I feel you came here for a reason, yes? Let's discuss it in a friendlier setting."

Hermione looked from the man to her cousin's hopeful eyes. She sighed, "Fine. Maybe you'll know something about who I encountered earlier."

"Her name's Victoria," Bella whispered as they all walked into the house.

Hermione kept a wary eye on the wolves, frowning as one of the men looked familiar to her. He was watching her in turn, an eyebrow raised as if daring her to forget who he was. She knew that look from somewhere. "I'm pretty sure the Vampire I found in your room was male."

The same Vampire who'd been staring at her was in front of her in a flash. His hands came down on her shoulders, the pressure hard enough to make her consider using magic. "There was another Vampire in Bella's room?"

"Edward," the older Vampire said quietly. "Let's not manhandle our guest. We'll get to everything eventually."

Edward reluctantly let go, eyeing her as she moved to stand by the window. Bella sat on the loveseat located near Hermione. Hermione waited for everyone to find their places before saying, "I guess introductions are in order. I'm Hermione Granger, Bella's cousin."

Edward came to stand by Bella's chair, his position putting him closer to Hermione than anyone else. "I am Edward Cullen, Bella's… boyfriend." He ignored the questioning look she sent Bella, introducing his family. He pointed them out individually, Hermione nodding to each one in greeting. "We are the Olympic Coven located in this part of the world. Forks is the heart of our territory."

"Animal drinkers," Hermione stated without question.

Edward was surprised. "Yes, how did you know?"

Hermione shrugged. "You aren't the first Vampires I've come across. Besides, I doubt my cousin would willingly enter into a relationship with you if there was a possibility of you bringing her home as dinner."

Emmett snickered, "Okay, I like her."

Hermione spared him a glance before turning to the wolves. "I'm hoping our introduction goes better the second time around."

The leader stepped forward, arms across his chest. "My name is Sam Uley, the black wolf you tried to hit with whatever shot out of that stick. I am the Alpha of our pack. The wolf you injured is Paul, and these two are Jared and Jacob."

She zeroed in on the man Sam pointed out when she heard his name. "Jacob Black?"

Jake grinned. "I was wondering how long it would take you to recognize me."

She grinned for the first time, rushing past Edward and Bella to throw her arms around him. He pulled her close in return. "Wow, I didn't even realize! The last time I saw you, you were a scrawny kid."

Jake pulled back, looking at her in amusement. "And you used to have big hair and teeth. Looks like we both changed for the better."

She smacked his chest, stepping out of his arms. "Why in the world did you attack me if you knew it was me? And what are you?"

Jake shrugged. "I didn't know it was you, and I didn't attack you. You disappeared before I could."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "The reddish-brown wolf, then. I didn't realize your tribal legends were true."

Jake shook his head. "You heard those tales once. I can't believe you remember them."

Hermione waved away his disbelief. "I have a good memory. You're shapeshifter's then?"

Sam cut into the conversation, looking between the two of them. "Werewolves."

She rolled her eyes, walking back to the window to compose herself. It wouldn't do to get on their bad side by laughing at them. When she faced them, she said, "I'm pretty sure your tribal legends say you shift into wolves. That doesn't make you a Werewolf, just a shapeshifter."

Paul scoffed, "And how would you know?"

Hermione crossed her arms, jutting her chin out as she answered. "For one, there's no full moon out. Second, I've faced off against Werewolves. I know what they feel like."

"Just what are you?"

She thought about it for a second before deciding there was no harm in telling them. They were all technically magical creatures. "I'm a witch."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

There were the expected shouts of disbelief, but once Carlisle explained that there was a whole other side to the supernatural they hadn't been exposed to living up here, everyone settled down. Hermione got the feeling he was used to being listened to, was the leader figure in their group. Even the wolves hadn't protested much once he'd spoken.

Of course, they had seen her magic first hand so they couldn't exactly say it was impossible.

Carlisle said, "Hermione, why don't you tell us what happened today."

She closed her eyes, letting her head fall back onto the window. She suddenly wanted this day to be over with so that she could sleep. "I was out for a run in the woods when my magic warned me of incoming danger. This wind rushed past me, but I couldn't tell who it had come from as there was no trace on the ground. Then one of the wolves tackled me and was prepared to bite my neck when I defended. The others of his pack rushed me, but I apparated out after figuring I was quickly becoming outnumbered."

Jake said, "So you weren't working with the female Vampire?"

Hermione frowned. "I don't generally work with Vampires, so no. Is that who the sweet perfume belonged to? I couldn't figure out what path she'd taken."

"Trees," Edward murmured.

"I knew it," she growled out.

"You said there was a male Vampire in Bella's room," Edward pressed.

She opened her eyes, looking at him. He was curling his fingers around the back of the love seat, anger barely held in check. "Yes. I landed in her room and he was there, going through her clothes. He was tall, over six feet for certain. He still looked like a teenager; he had blond hair and bright red eyes. I was going to light him on fire, but Charlie came into the house. I got distracted, and he escaped." She grimaced. "With one of Bella's shirts."

Bella gasped, fear in her eyes. "Why would he take my shirt?"

Hermione looked to her cousin. "Probably as a means to track you by scent. That's why I came to find you. Have you pissed off any Vampires lately?"

"It has to be because of James," Edward ground out.

"James?" Hermione asked.

Carlisle explained the situation of Bella's near death experience with the tracker. Victoria had been his mate. Hermione finally put a name to the Vamp that had munched on her cousin, giving Edward a nod of approval for killing him. She was a little concerned over Bella's almost change, but locked it away for later. Obviously, there had been no ill effects since then.

She said, "Victoria must be after Bella then. Mates are precious, most magical creatures go mad if they survive losing theirs. She'll be beyond reason, her only goal to get revenge on Edward for killing James." She stopped herself when she saw Bella's eyes widen the more she spoke. "I'm sorry, Bella."

Bella shook her head, bringing her legs up to her chest. "It's okay, Hermione."

Hermione saw through the reassurance, kneeling in front of her cousin to look into her eyes. "I promise I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Bella."

Bella lowered her eyes. "You just said she'll be crazy with revenge until she kills me."

"And I won't let that happen." Hermione nudged her knee. "I'm an Auror, remember? We're trained for combat, and I'll kill her before letting her lay a hand on you."

Her cousin smiled sadly at her. "You didn't come here for this."

She shrugged. "You're family. I know… things are tense at home, but I'm not going to leave you to face this alone."

Jacob frowned. "Why did you come? It's great to see you, but you stopped coming around when we were kids."

Hermione stood, realizing Jacob had known her parents as his father and her Uncle Charlie were best friends. "My parents are dead, Jacob. I came to notify Uncle Charlie, and arrange their funeral."

He came forward and pulled her back into his arms. "Damn it, I'm sorry. Aunt Helen was the nicest woman in the world."

She gave a small smile against his shoulder, fighting the tremble of her body as her face filled. "She was." She let herself be comforted for a moment before pulling away. "Anyways, my boss has me on emergency family leave so I can stay until this mess is sorted."

Sam gathered his pack shortly after, promising to keep an eye out and notify them if other unknown Vampires came into their territory. Jake made her promise to come down soon and see his dad. She agreed, having fond memories of the wheelchair bound man.

Esme walked over to her, extending a hand in invitation. "Are you hungry? I can fix you something."

Hermione glanced at her cousin, who was looking away from everyone, ignoring Edwards attempts to get her to look at him. The tension between the couple was rising. Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to be a bother-"

"Nonsense," Esme disagreed. "It's no bother. I love to cook, and only have the opportunity to do so when Bella is here. Let's go into the kitchen, and you can tell me more about yourself while you eat."

Esme reminded her of Molly Weasley in a way as she didn't let Hermione say no, pulling her gently into the kitchen and forcing her onto the stool. She saw her cousin disappear upstairs, Edward trailing after her. The others came into the kitchen, forming a loose circle around her as they talked about various things.

Alice sat right next to her. "So you're a Witch. That has to be why I can't see you."

Hermione looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Carlisle said, "I don't know if you know this from your lessons on Vampires, but some have gifts." Hermione nodded at this. This was something they had learned in Auror training. "Alice is one such Vampire. She can see the future."

Hermione's curious expression changed into one of disgust. "No,thank you." She ignored the way Alice's jaw dropped in shock. "You probably can't see me, because I have strong mental shields. That wouldn't stop a Wizards power, but I bet it did yours as you don't have enough magical power to overcome mine. Is one of you a mind reader?"

"Did Edward try reading your mind?" Emmett chimed in. "Please tell me he couldn't." Rosalie hit him on the arm.

Hermione nodded. "If he's the mind reader, then yes, he tried and failed."

Emmett laughed in delight. "Yes! You Swans sure are something else."

"Granger," she corrected gently, grinning at him.

Jasper leaned against the counter. "It is interesting how your family is able to do so. Most mental abilities don't work on Bella, and Charlie was very hard to read at first, according to Edward."

Hermione smiled in thanks as Esme set a sandwich down in front of her along with a pink drink she identified as lemonade. "Well, there is some argument that muggleborn witches and wizards like me have some type of magical ancestry. If that is the case, that would explain their natural resistance." There had been no such resistance with her parents, the memory charm had been easy to perform. "I think if I let down my shields, though, Edward would have no trouble reading me. I'm not keen in testing it out right now, but maybe someday."

Carlisle nodded. "That would be good to know. We think Bella might be a talent if she were changed."

Jasper agreed, "She has no magical talent, so that would make sense."

Hermione paused from drinking her lemonade, only her training keeping in the almost reflex gasp and choking on her drink. "I beg your pardon, change her?"

Rosalie smirked from her spot next to Emmett. "Don't you know? Your cousin wants to become one of us."


	7. Chapter 7

**Annnd here's the end of what I have written. I'm almost done with Chapter 8, so maybe I'll crank that out tonight. Depends where the Muse takes me.**

**Enjoy! Stay Safe!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

This time it was Alice and Esme who swatted at Rosalie.

Hermione took in the action while staring into space, trying to wrap her head around this revelation. Her cousin wanted to be a Vampire? Of course, Hermione should have realized. Edward _had_ proposed to her. He wouldn't have done that if there wasn't some feeling of commitment on both their parts, she was sure.

But a _Vampire_? Didn't she know who they answered to? Didn't she know that she'd be condemning her father to loneliness, because he couldn't know she existed? The Wizarding World let the Vampire population rule themselves as long as they didn't break the laws set forth from the ICW. Hermione knew their leaders did not take kindly to Muggles knowing about them. Merlin, how had this family gotten away with Bella knowing about them for so long?

She went cold as she had a sudden thought. She didn't want to ask…but she needed to know. She turned to Carlisle. "Do the Volturi know about her?"

Carlisle nodded with a solemn look. "They expect us to change her soon. We've stalled as long as we can, but time is running out."

Hermione cursed as she jumped out of her chair, her half-eaten food forgotten. She paced, giving half a thought to snatching Bella and hiding her with her friends or storming the Volturi stronghold itself and exterminating any Vampire who wanted to kill her cousin. What could she do? Their laws were there for a reason. Could her status as Hermione's family protect her? She liked to think so, but what if Bella really did want to become one of them?

Jasper sent soothing energy at her, bringing Hermione to a stop. He shrugged when she looked at him. "Your hair was starting to spark."

She ran a hand through her hair, frowning when she was shocked. "Sorry about that. It happens sometimes." She didn't resume her pacing, choosing to cross her arms instead. "I'm going to be honest. I'm not keen on the idea of her doing this. She's all my uncle really has left. He'd never recover if he lost her."

"He has you," Alice pointed out.

Hermione shook her head. "He doesn't, not really. Yes, we were close when I was a child, but I lost contact when I started my schooling. Now I've shown up years letter, telling him my big secret and that his sister and a man he was proud to call brother are dead because of that secret." She looked down. "Their only crime was being my parents."

Carlisle laid a hand on her shoulder. "Chief Swan is a good man. I'm sure he doesn't blame you for what happened to your parents."

She gave him a self-deprecating smile. "That would make one of us." A door slammed, footsteps pounding down the stairs. "That doesn't sound like it went well."

Bella stalked into the kitchen. "Can we go?"

Hermione nodded. She turned to Carlisle and Esme. "Thank you for having me in your home and cooking me food. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Esme smiled at her, throwing a concerned glance up the stairs. "You're welcome any time."

Bella grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the house and down the paved path to her beat-up truck. Hermione gingerly got into the passenger side, wondering if the rusted metal was safe enough to be on the road. It certainly didn't look like it.

She waited until they were out of earshot before asking, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Bella banged her hand on the steering wheel. "It's the same thing every time! He wants to get married, and I don't! We're too young!"

Hermione nodded in agreement. Her cousin _had_ just graduated from high school. "You don't want to do the same thing your parents did."

"Exactly!" Bella looked at her gratitude. "I've tried explaining it to him, but he won't budge."

Hermione frowned. "Well then, that sounds like a personal issue he needs to work through. He has no right pressuring you. You can be changed later instead of now if that's what you really want to do. I know the Volturi put the pressure on, but now that I know the situation, I can probably get them to give you all the time you want to be ready." Once again, she didn't fancy her cousin changing, but Hermione was willing to get used to the idea with more time.

Bella pouted, shoulders slumping a bit. "I am ready to be changed. I really don't want to look older than Edward, and now's the perfect time to do it before college gets in the way."

Hermione sent her cousin a confused glance. "Then why are you hesitating on marriage? Once you change, you're committing to him for eternity."

Bella floundered under the question. "I…"

Hermione gave Bella a hard stare. "Cousin, please don't tell me you are demanding to be changed and can't even give the man what he wants." At her wince, Hermione turned in her seat to face her fully. "Bella! Sweetie, I get that you're squeamish at the thought of marriage, but being changed into a Vampire is essentially going farther than that. There's no reversing a change once it's complete."

Bella stared at the road in front of her. "I know."

She sighed, "Then you have to think about what you really want. Yes, it's not okay for him to be pressuring you, but the same goes for you. He doesn't have to change you if he doesn't want to. You two need to compromise."

"There is no compromise," Bella grumbled. "Marriage is the only way he'll change me."

Hermione stared at her. "Do you love him?"

"Yes," Bella answered without hesitation.

Hermione nodded at the sure answer. "Are you willing to stick with him forever? The good, the bad, and maybe even death?

Bella clenched her hands on the steering wheel. "Yes."

She turned back around to look out her window. "Then marriage is trivial in the end, but it's obviously important to him. I'm not saying you have to go through with it, but if you can't stomach the thought of marrying him, then you need to think if he's truly who you want to spend the rest of your existence with."

"He says I'm his mate," Bella said lowly.

"He would know," Hermione said and left it at that. She knew Bella's parents divorcing had impacted the way she viewed life. Her mother had always told her uncle that Renee was flighty, that she couldn't be tied down to one place for long. She supposed that turned out to be true in the end. She didn't think Bella was much like her mother, but even Hermione could see that she wasn't ready to settle down. She couldn't blame her. In the Muggle world, it was becoming increasingly popular to wait longer to get married. It was starting to be frowned upon if someone committed straight out of schooling.

She had a feeling she knew what choice her cousin would make in the end. She only hoped she could protect her from the backlash from the Volturi when she did.

Charlie wasn't home when they got to the house. Bella told her it was likely he was called out, and Hermione took her excuse as truth for her peace of mind. There was a letter waiting on her bed when she walked into the room, addressed to her from the American ministry. Her parent's bodies would arrive this weekend, and they were willing to stay with them until she made funeral preparations. She hadn't realized she'd left the window open for the owl to come in.

She sat on the bed, wiping hands on her damp face. Soon, she would finally say goodbye. Hermione wasn't ready. Gods, she'd never thought she'd be burying both her parents this young. They were supposed to see her graduate from Hogwarts, help her find her own place while her father lamented his baby leaving the nest. They were supposed to suffer her first-day jitters at her secured job straight out of school, and encourage her to go for the masteries she'd dreamed of doing back when she'd first learned all that magic had to offer.

She drew her knees up to her chest, letting her face fall into her thighs.

A cold hand settled itself on her hair, fingers slowly combing through the curls. She'd sensed him come through her window, had felt the slight attempt at intrusion of her mind before giving up. "What are you doing here?"

"Comforting you," Edward said. "It wasn't my intention, but you seem to need it, and I doubt you're going to go bother Bella."

She hadn't been going to, no. "I have to plan a funeral tomorrow. I've helped with enough this past year; one would think I'd be jaded from the feeling."

Edward pulled her a little closer to him when her breath hitched. "You can't be jaded when it comes to people you love."

Hermione found herself leaning into him more, actually finding his presence comforting. He didn't do anything to stop her, wrapping both arms around her and letting her cry into his chest. A part of her wondered why she was allowing this. They didn't know each other; he wasn't hers to take comfort from. She was sure her cousin would not be alright with this. But her magic didn't see him as a threat, reacting to him like it would to any of her friends.

When she finally pulled away from him, the part of his shirt she'd cried into was utterly soaked. She sniffed, "I'm sorry. I've ruined your shirt."

Edward handed her a tissue. "It was a small price to pay for you letting it all out. Are you feeling better?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, thank you." She gave him a small smile. "Were you here to see Bella? I think she's still here."

He stood, leaning against the bedpost with folded arms. "I actually came to see you."

Hermione frowned. "What for?"

Edward sighed, "Have you talked to Bella about our disagreement?"

"Yes," she said slowly.

He waited, and when she didn't say anything, he huffed, "Well? Do you know what she's really thinking?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she's told you what she's really thinking. She feels very strongly against marrying at a young age. I think she might never be ready. She never did change well as a child, and her parent's divorce was a big one. They essentially uprooted her life and took her from everything she knew. And if I remember her mother correctly, they never stayed in one place for long."

"So, shouldn't she want to put down roots?" Edward argued.

"Not necessarily," she disagreed. "She might not want to roam from place to place, but that doesn't mean she's keen on settling down right now. She just graduated high school, Edward."

"Back when I was still human, that was the perfect age to start a life together."

Hermione scoffed, "But this isn't still the time from when you were human, is it? She's grown up in this day and age. Yes, in our world, it is normal for couples to start their lives this young. Bella isn't from our world, not really."

"She wants to be a Vampire so badly," Edward murmured.

"And you don't want to change her," Hermione said knowingly.

He stared at her, not willing to admit what they both knew.

She didn't let it rest. "You don't want to change her, so you gave her a compromise you _knew_ she would have a hard time accepting." The realization ignited a fury in her that had her leaping off the bed, and poking a finger to his hard chest. "What is wrong with you two? You don't want to make her a Vampire, and she doesn't want to get married. What are you two still doing together if your wants in life are so different?"

He lifted a brow at her finger that was alternating between drilling into his chest and wagging at him as she spoke. "She's my Singer."

Hermione stopped in her tracks, looking at him with wide eyes in astonishment. "She's your _what_?"

Edward lowered her hand from his chest. It fell to her side with no resistance. "My Singer. A Singer is-"

She put up a hand to stop him. "I know what a bloody Singer is. Do you know how dangerous that is? Merlin, you sucked the venom out of her when she was bitten by James. How in the world did you keep control of yourself? And how, in the name of Morgana, does that equal her being your mate?"

He put a finger to her lips to stop her questions, casting an uneasy glance at her door. "She'll hear you if you raise your voice any higher." She narrowed her eyes, mouth opening despite his attempts to stop her. He placed his palm on her mouth instead. "Look, the urge to suck her dry has dissipated with time. We believe it's because of my love for her, and my genuine desire not to wish her harm."

Hermione grabbed his hand, holding it to keep him from accosting her again. "And what does that have to do with you being mates? Do you feel the pull to her or not?"

Edward stared into her eyes, Hermione compelled to keep contact. He said, "I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure."

She stepped back, dropping his hand. "You need to figure it out before she says yes, then. Don't let her make that commitment if you're having doubts. It will break her." She glamoured her wand, sticking it to her pants and picking up her badge.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I have a funeral to arrange," she said shortly.

Edward grabbed her arm before she could leave the room. "You shouldn't be alone. I'll go with you."

Hermione yanked her arm away, her mind telling her to get out. "Wrong girl, Cullen. Focus on your situation with Bella. I'll be just fine on my own."

Edward was waiting for her when she walked out of the house. He was leaning against a silver car, watching her. "You don't have a car, and I saw your reaction to Bella's truck. I'll drive you where you need to go."

"Are you going to leave if I say no?" Hermione demanded.

"Nope."

"Fine," she growled out. "But just so you know, Bella's at the window. She knows you were here. Don't come blaming me if she decides to kick up a fuss."

Edward looked up to his girlfriend's window to find Hermione was right. Bella was looking down at them, brows furrowed in confusion. Edward thought he should feel panic, unease at the least, but he didn't. One glance at Hermione was all it took for Edward to send Bella a brief wave, and get into his car. Since he'd heard her crying when he'd come to see Bella, his only thought had been to stay by her side until she'd stopped. Something inside him wouldn't let him leave her alone while she was in this vulnerable state.

He didn't want to think about what that meant.


End file.
